Bipolar Disorder Heather McLean HCA/240 Maryam Pirnazar 4/14/2013 Introduction Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder it can cause shifts in moods, activity level, energy, and also the ability to due day-to-day tasks. It is also commonly known as manic- depressive illness. This disorder is one of the oldest illnesses that is known. It is one of the first noticed that goes as far back and the second century. The first person that recognized the some of the symptoms is Aretaeus of Cappadocia. What he found went unnoticed until Richard Burton a scientist wrote a book, which the main focus was depression. This is still used in today’s time. There are many different myths and misconceptions about bipolar …show more content…
It cant be found through a blood test or even a brain scan, although these tests can help make sure that there are not any other contributing factors. The doctor can then conduct a evaluation of mental health. He can also give a patient a referral to a mental health professional, like a psychiatrist, which is more experienced with diagnosing bipolar disorders. When conducting a diagnostic evaluation they discuss all family history and get the patients history of any symptoms. They will also talk about the patients close relatives and spouse. Getting more information about the patient and what they are going through in life will also help determine whether or not they are bipolar. When a person has bipolar disorder, they are more likely to look for help in their most vulnerable state, which is when they are depressed. Making sure that the patient is not mistakenly diagnosed it is important for the doctor to make sure that the patients medical history is done with care. After going thought the process of being diagnosed, the doctor will then find the appropriate treatment for the patient. Treatment Bipolar disorder has no known cure. The best thing for patients is to have proper treatments, to have a better control over their mood swings and other symptoms they may have. Patients with bipolar disorder are in need for a long-term treatment because the disorder is a lifetime disorder.
Because Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder, the causes are unknown. (Bipolar Disorder) Even though they don’t know the root of the illness, doctors have found reasons that could have contribution. One of these would be genetics and its most common with people who have relatives that have already been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Also, after research doctors have discovered that patients with bipolar disorder seem to have physical deviations with their brains. Another factor could be a chemical imbalance with neurotransmitters. They also have discovered that stress, alcohol, and drugs could also initiate the first manic episode. (Mayo Clinic)
Bipolar disorder, also commonly referred to as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual and heightened swings in a person’s mood, energy level, and ability to function. The symptoms of bipolar disorder can be severe and therefore, they are quite different from the normal shifts in mood that everyone goes through on a daily basis. The effects of bipolar disorder can result in broken relationships, poor performance at work or school, self-mutilation, and even suicide. However, in most instances, bipolar disorder can be treated and people with this illness can lead normal and productive lives with the help of medication and therapy.
To be diagnosed with bipolar disorder under the DSM requirements, a person must have a manic episode that lasts at least seven days or has severe symptoms that can possibly send them to a hospital or have sent them to a hospital, and the person usually experiences about two weeks of a depressive episode (NIMH, 2015). People with bipolar disorder can be misdiagnosed. The depressive episodes are very similar to major depression. In some forms of bipolar disorder, psychotic factors are present like hallucinations or delusions which may lead to a misdiagnosis of schizophrenia (Schacter et al., 2015).
Bipolar Disorder is a brain disorder that is characterized by abnormal changes in mood, energy and activity levels (“National Institute of Mental Health”). Manic-depressive illness is also another name that bipolar disorder is commonly referred to as (“National Institute of Mental Health”). This disorder has four basic types including, bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic, and any other which do not perfectly fit the first three. All four of the types have episodes of extreme highs, manic periods, and extreme lows, depressive periods. Symptoms can range greatly and depend on what type of episode the affected is having. Manic episodes can include, but are not limited to: having extraordinarily high amounts of energy, activity,
And episodes are noticeably stronger, especially when depressed. For people who have bipolar and are feeling down many symptoms are similar to those that are depressed and every thought is consumed in sadness; they have feelings of worthlessness, excessive guilt, fatigue, inability to concentrate, abnormal weight gain or weight loss, insomnia or abnormally oversleeping and they may even have thoughts of suicide. When flipped to the other side maniac displaced feelings of extreme energy, restlessness and irritability they 're overly confident themselves talking fast and erratic. They have high energy and excess need for activity you need much less sleepy early, 3 hours would be more than enough. They have no self-control and spend money recklessly and they 're easily irritated when things don 't go their way. People with bipolar will display different abnormal mood changes on various intervals, for example they could be depressed for 3 to 4 months and return to their normal selves for a few months and maniac for a couple of months and then back to their normal self again. It 's not necessarily that the occurrence of both moods will take place one after the other it could be depressed normal depressed again normal again and then manic or manic first and then depressed after that. Bipolar disorder can affect anyone of any gender, age or profession, but it is most commonly found in 16 to
Bipolar I is identified by the length and severity of the manic and depressive episodes. The manic episodes must last for at least seven days or they must be so severe that a person requires immediate hospitalization. The depressive episodes last around two weeks. These episodes, both manic and depressive, must be an extreme, major alteration from the person’s normal behavior. An effective treatment plan for bipolar I includes medication and psychotherapy. The medication helps with stabilizing a person’s mood and the psychotherapy is for the prevention of relapse and the reduction of symptom severity. Many people with bipolar I take combination medicine treatment. The treatment includes a mood stabilizer; sometimes an anticonvulsant other times a non anticonvulsant, and an antidepressant, to help reduce depression episodes. Doctors prescribe both an anticonvulsant and an
Bipolar disorder is a costly and disabling disease. Patients with bipolar disorder may be misdiagnosed with another illness in their initial presentation. Major challenges to accurate diagnosis include difficulties in differentiating bipolar depression from unipolar depression. Significant heterogeneity between different patients of bipolar disorder, such that they would report different
Bipolar disorder is defined as a mood disorder that causes drastic emotional changes and mood swings. These mood swings can range from manic highs, to depressive lows. It is also characterized by severe changes in mood. Bipolar
One way to treat bipolar is by using Lithium. It helps people by effecting neurons messaging and receptions system. A therapist can prescribe lithium and see if it is a treatment that helps the patient’s symptoms. If lithium does not work mood stabilizers can also be used with bipolar clients. Mood stabilizers affect the second message that is fired off by the neuron and changes the chemicals within in a neuron. However, I would recommend that a bipolar client use the mood stabilizers, lithium, and go to psychotherapy. This way the patient can have extra help by involving their family and social relationships. The patient and their family can also get information about the bipolar disorder to know how to deal with this disorder.
Bipolar disorder is an often devastating mental illnesses, with high emotional, social and economic impact on the lives of patients and family members [Jin and McCrone, 2015; Miller et al., 2014]. In recent decades, there has been significant progress in developing diagnostic methods for reliably diagnosing severe bipolar disorder (bipolar disorder type I) and some related bipolar “spectrum” disorders (bipolar type II disorder), and there has also been recent progress in identifying some of the genetic loci (through linkage and association analyses) which contribute to severe bipolar disorder. Controversy remains, however, about the diagnostic borders of bipolar disorder, particularly in relation to schizophrenia and schizoaffective
Once the diagnosis has been made that Bipolar disorder is the cause of the symptoms then a treatment plan can be started.
Bipolar disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is “a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels,” and
Bipolar Disorder also known as Manic Depressive Illness involves outstanding mood swings. The individual has periods of depression, and periods when they feel either unusually good or pressured and irritable. It affects 1-2% of the population. Genetics plays a significant role. About 15% of children with one bipolar parent develop the disorder.